Snapshots
by Awahili
Summary: A series of drabbles that lead up to and tie into Pulling Together and Life Goes On. Based on drabble challenges from JDPhoenix and DCWorld.
1. Friends

Okay, here's my response to _JDPhoenix_'s LJ challenge for the Ryelsi community over there. The link is on my profile, so check it out.

I'm going to make these flow with my other story _Pulling Together_ so I won't be posting all the challenge words right off. For now, just a few to get it started, sort of some back story for _Pulling Together_. Yay!

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_**Friends**_

Ryan Evans entered his second day of seventh grade a little more confidently than the day before. Despite one incident in which a small, mousy girl had teared up and run away at the mere sight of him for reasons unknown, he felt good. The trip from Rhode Island had been hard, leaving all of his friends behind - if you could call them that. His baseball team never really got him, they just loved his pitching. And Sharpay was…well his sister not his friend.

"Hey." Ryan looked up from his locker to see the same girl from yesterday shifting nervously from foot to foot.

"Well hello," he smiled at her, hoping to put her at ease.

"So…cool hat," she said finally, eyeing his blue fedora. She was sporting the black and white striped newsboy from yesterday.

"You too…I was going to tell you yesterday but…" She blushed and ducked her head.

"Ryan who is this?" a peppy voice behind him made him jump and he turned to face his sister.

"This is…" he stopped, completely unable to finish the sentence, but the girl saved him.

"Kelsi Nielsen."

"I'm Sharpay, and this is Ryan," she introduced. "We're new here. Show us around?" Kelsi could tell it really wasn't a request, and she nodded. But her heart lifted a little when Ryan smiled at her, and she thanked her dad for his advice that morning.

Yesterday he'd given her the cap, had told her hats would be her thing. When she'd told him about the new boy with the hats, he'd dried her eyes and told her to use the common ground to make a friend. And as she eyed Ryan's blue fedora, she smiled…maybe it would be _their _thing.


	2. Dare

_**Dare**_

"Are you scared, Nielsen?"

Kelsi had come to the conclusion that eighth graders were mean. As she eyed the rope that rose twenty feet above the mat, she swallowed hard.

"She won't get five feet," another said.

"Come on, Nielsen, it's not hard. I dare you." Her eyes roamed the gym, finally landing on Ryan and Sharpay stretching a few feet away. His eyes were on her, full of confidence for her, and as he nodded to her she let his strength pour into her. She ripped the newsboy cap from her head, tossed it over to Ryan (who caught it effortlessly), and began climbing.


	3. Secret

_**Secrets**_

"I can't believe it…you…you're good," Ryan just stood there in the East High music room staring at his friend of two years.

"It's just…it's something I play around with." He took a step closer.

"No it's not," he said seriously. "You have a gift."

"Please don't tell…I don't wanna make a big deal out of this." Her eyes pleaded with him and he felt his resolve waver.

"Alright, I'll keep your secret. But just so you know…it is a big deal." And he turned around. Kelsi sat back down on the piano bench and sighed heavily, her eyes roaming over the composition entitled "What I've Been Looking For".


	4. Youth

_**Youth**_

Fredrick Nielsen watched his fifteen year old daughter walk out the door to catch the bus to school for the beginning of her sophomore year. She looked more and more like her mother everyday, and he felt his heart clench at the thought of his beloved late wife. Kelsi had her mother's flare for music, and he often heard her fiddling with songs and singing softly. These days she had a smile on her face and, though it killed him, he knew it was probably a boy.

One day, he'd look back and wonder when his little girl had grown up so fast. But for now he'd wait anxiously for his daughter to introduce him to the boy who had inspired her to finally begin sharing her wonderful gift of music with the world.


	5. Patience

**_Patience_**

"Come on Shar, it's not that hard! It's jump jump jump step turn step step slide." Ryan Evans sighed as his sister once again messed up his choreography. At this rate she'd be lucky to get it in time for callbacks. He left her with the CD player and stepped to his bag to get a drink.

"How's it going?" a voice sounded behind him. He turned to Kelsi and sighed dramatically.

"Slowly," his eyes moved back over to his sister, who jumped three times and turned, then wondered why she wasn't getting it. "Later." He left the girl's side and went once more to explain the sequence to his sister.


	6. Routine

**_Routine_**

She had to admit they looked good. Kelsi watched them perform "Bop to the Top" flawlessly. Ryan had finally gotten Sharpay to learn the dance steps, and their voices seamed together flawlessly. Kelsi just hoped that their plan worked and the Evans twins would finally get some competition. But Mrs. Darbus crushed her hopes with her declaration and Kelsi locked eyes with Ryan, hoping for some encouragement. But he was on his sister's side today, and she ran off stage before anyone could see her tears.


	7. smile

**_Smile_**

Kelsi opened her locker to dump her books in. _Twinkle Towne_ had been a success, and Mrs. Darbus couldn't stop gushing about her talent. Now that finals were over, there was only one day left before summer vacation. A note tumbled out as she pulled her music notebook, and she picked it up and read.

_Kelsi, I'm sorry for my abominable behavior these last weeks. The pressure of showbiz gets to us all I guess. Double Fudge Blizzard on me._

And the past few weeks' awkwardness between her and Ryan evaporated with a smile.


	8. Game

**_Game_**

Kelsi watched from the stands as Ryan took the ball from the pitcher. He'd told her once that he'd played baseball in Rhode Island, but she'd finally get to see him in action. She knew he was more than jazzy dance steps and cool hats, just like he knew she was more than the music she wrote (and cool hats). He'd been genuinely hurt when Sharpay had blown him off, and a very tiny part relished in the fact that he knew how she felt now. And he seemed better for it, she mused as she watched he and Chad come together on mutual ground…just like her father had told her.


	9. Green Eyed Monster

**_Green Eyed Monster_**

Ryan watched as she leaned against Jason's arm at the other end of their group. He felt the flare of emotion within him and fought it down violently. Jason wasn't good enough for her…no one was. She was smart, and sweet, and beautiful, and brilliant…even he wasn't good enough. But at least he got her. He knew her favorite cheer up food (double fudge blizzard), her favorite composer (Stephen Sondheim, of course), and even her mother's name. But the one thing he didn't know was what she saw in Jason that allowed him to make her smile like that.


	10. Dependence

Okay, so this is the first one that actually ties into _Pulling Together_. Not necessary to read it, but it might be a little confusing if you haven't. So here's the drabble for between chapters 1 and 2.

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_**Dependence**_

Ryan watched Kelsi ascend the stairs and disappear into the upper story. He leaned against the wall for a moment, steeling himself for the days to come. Kelsi would need her friends more than ever, and he made a vow to be there for her no matter what. He'd be her rock, someone she could lean on. He just hoped he was strong enough.


	11. Test

Ties into chapter 7 of _Pulling Together_, though it's completely stand alone.

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**_Test_**

**Find the value(s) of d such that 5x****2**** + 5(d - 3)x - 9d****2**** + 15d + 30 = 0 has one real root.**

Kelsi stared at the problem as her eyes blurred. This was the last question on today's math quiz she really hadn't studied for, and she was determined to finish the test wrong answers or no. So she worked what she could and guessed the rest, turning in the sheet just as the bell rang.


	12. Knight

This ties into Chapter 10 of _Pulling Together_, but again, it's not really necessary to read it. I would just really appreciate it. : )

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_**Knight**_

Her dad had promised he'd always be there for her to love her, to protect her. "Her knight in shining armor" she'd called him the year he'd dressed up as Sir Lancelot for the Camelot themed Halloween party. But now he was gone, and Kelsi sat up in her new room at the Montez household crying, playing her keyboard, and wondering who would be her knight now.

"Kelsi?" a soft knock followed by Ryan's voice pulled her from her thoughts and she couldn't help the smile that graced her features. Maybe her dad was still looking out for her after all.


	13. Gift

This little drabble fits snugly between chapters 11 and 12 of _Pulling Together_

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_**Gift**_

On Kelsi's desk sat exactly two items. The first had been a gift from her father on her first birthday - a small music box that played her favorite lullaby. The other item was an empty CD case with the title _The Best of Irving Berlin_. Ryan had given it to her for Christmas, and as the soft strains of "Always" floated from her CD player, she realized she couldn't decide which she loved more.

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Okay, so I decided to throw this on up on boxstr as well. Link is in my profile under the notes for _Pulling Together_


	14. Song

A drabble for the end of Chapter 13 of _Pulling Together_

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_**Song**_

"Where do I see myself?"

"That's the question, Mr. Choreographer. You tell me, I tell them," she gestured out to the non-existent audience. He thought about it for a long moment before he took a breath.

"I want…I want to be on Broadway. Not necessarily acting, but dancing and choreographing…that would be cool." She wrote down a few notes as she scoffed.

"Oh come on, Ryan. You can do better than that. Go wild…pretend you're Sharpay." Ryan laughed at that and thought again. When he began again, his eyes held an excited spark.

"I want to see my name in lights, I want a star on a dressing room door. I want people to pass me on the street and say, 'That's Ryan Evans.' I want it all." Kelsi grinned at him and penned the title to her next piece easily. He laughed and gave her a one-armed hug as she began fiddling with chords on the piano. She really was brilliant.


	15. Why?

Flows into the ending of chapter 15 of _Pulling Together_

_**Why?**_

She surveyed herself in the mirror, turning back and forth to check her profile. She did like the dress the girls had picked out, and the color was magnificent. For the last week she'd asked herself why Ryan had decided to ask her to prom; she never thought she was pretty, just average. But as she pulled her hair up and looked - really looked - at her reflection, she finally saw what he saw. She was gorgeous.


	16. Spellbound

Okay, so this is totally off the wall, but when I saw the word this is the first thing that popped into my head…This one's set just after Chapter 16 of _Pulling Together_

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_**Spellbound**_

"Why in the world do you even _have_ this movie?" Kelsi asked as she reached into the bowl for some popcorn. She and Ryan were sprawled out on the couch after a grueling two hours of swing dance lessons. She was sore in places she didn't even know existed.

"I have no idea," Ryan answered. "I think it's my cousin's…" he continued staring at the screen absently. Kelsi glanced sideways at him, disbelievingly, but continued to munch on her popcorn.

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Okay, I know it was bad. But has anyone seen the movie "Spellbound" about the National Spelling Bee? It's actually just a documentary following some of the contestants around, but it's scary…I thought soccer mom's were crazy but spelling bee mom's are worse…


	17. Album

Okay, this one is set after chapter 17 of _Pulling Together_. This one isn't much better than the last, but I promise the next one is the best of the bunch so far. Man, I am so off my game...

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_**Album**_

Kelsi looked down at the collection of random trivia that was stuck underneath the glass of the table at the ice cream shop. She licked her spoon clean and made a surprised sound in the back of her throat.

"The first collection of records to be called an 'album' was Tchaikovsky's _Nutcracker Suite_, in 1909," she said. Her companion looked up from his strawberry banana ripple, then back down at the table.

"A fear of long words is, ironically, called 'Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia'." He looked back up and they both burst into laughter.


	18. Pride

Ties into Chapter 18 of _Pulling Together_

_**Pride**_

Ryan knelt there in the cool grass staring at the name on the new headstone. He'd thought of a few things to say to the man who'd saved his friend's life, who had been her only family for many years now, but when the time came nothing seemed adequate. He could promise to take care of her, but that was too cliché. And Ryan hadn't really known David Nielsen well enough to say he missed him. Finally, he touched the ground and blinked back tears.

"You would be so proud of her," he whispered. "I am."

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	19. Take My Hand

Wow, you guys are so lucky. Not only do you get a giant chapter for _Pulling Together_, you also get a drabble. Lucky, lucky, lucky…

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_**Take My Hand**_

Ryan was standing center stage, his hand held out, beckoning her to join him for her well-deserved applause. The crowd was roaring for the composer, but she stood perfectly still backstage. But when her eyes locked with his, he spoke to her only with his smile. And as she took his hand and he spun to center stage, he started clapping with everyone else. She was smiling brightly, waving and bowing to the audience happily.

_Finally_, he thought, _everyone else gets to see what I see._


	20. Dawn

This is the last drabble in this series *sniff* The next series of drabbles will tie into my sequel for _Pulling Together_, so stay tuned for that. Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed, and a special shout out to those in the Ryelsi community. You guys are awesome and you know it. :)

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_**Dawn**_

Kelsi had been up since five watching out her east-facing window. The newsman had said the day before that dawn would be at exactly 6:42, and Kelsi watched her clock anxiously as the seconds ticked away. She couldn't see the break of the horizon because of the houses, but when the clock changed over Kelsi felt a rush flood her. _This is it, _she thought, _the last day of my senior year_.


	21. Sick

Okay, so here's the first drabble to tie into _Life Goes On_.

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_**Sick**_

Kelsi woke up one early June morning feeling achy and congested. She managed to roll over long enough to grab her cell phone from her bedside table and flip it open. Kelsi sniffed loudly and keyed in a few sequences that started a new text message. Typing in four simple words and an emote, she sent it off quickly before flopping back onto her bed.

Ryan woke up to the sound of a text message hitting his phone. He rolled over and took a deep breath, happy that he'd finally gotten over the nasty flu that had hit him the first week of summer vacation. He slid the phone open and smiled at Kelsi's face on the front. He quickly moved through the menus to his messages and clicked on the newest one from Kelsi.

YOU GOT ME SICK : (

Laughing, he immediately leapt out of bed and got dressed, grabbing a few musicals from his shelf on his way out the door. _Hey,_ he thought as he shouldered his bag and hopped on his Vespa, _at least I can't get it again._


	22. Pizza

For the end of chapter 3 of _Life Goes On_...

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**_Pizza_**

As it turned out, everything did fit in Sharpay's car. As they drove back toward the Evans' home, Ryan pulled out his cell and ordered a pizza.

"You know," Kelsi told him when he hung up, "New York is supposed to have the best pizza in the world."

"I thought it was Chicago?" Sharpay replied off-handedly.

"Well this is probably the last time we'll get plain old Pizza Hut," Ryan grinned, "So let's enjoy it."

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Does anyone actually know? I think it's one of those debates that will continue through to the end of time…who has the best pizza pies, New York or Chicago?


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